At this point, everyone knows how important it is to protect ourselves from the sun. And because it is so vital, we have wanted to offer sunscreen at Garden Girl since day one. However, as a small company it is pretty much impossible to produce your own that is certified – it has to go through a very extensive process with the FDA. So we have been testing many (many many) types of natural sunscreen in the hopes of finding one that we liked enough to sell. And we finally found it – Caribbean Sol. Not only is this a natural sunscreen – using non-nano zinc oxide and titanium dioxide to provide full spectrum UVA/UVB coverage – but it is also biodegradable. That means that it is safe for coral reefs and marine life. Not bad!

But the big test is how much the kids complain when they use it. And this is the first one that we have tried that has been accepted by the boys. It is still thicker than Coppertone or Banana Boat, but it is much easier to apply than some of the other all natural sunblocks. ( The key is to apply it to small areas at a time. )

Caribbean Sol is so safe and natural that it made it to the EWG 2011 list of best sunscreens.  So we are thrilled to be able to now offer our customers a safe, reliable and effective sunblock – both Sol Care SPF 25 for adults and Kid Care SPF 25 for kids. Both are free of parabens, sulfates, petroleum products and phthalates – just like Garden Girl products!

And while we were on our quest for sunblock, we found that there was one other product that we wanted to offer as well. The sunless self-tanner - a great all-natural self tanner that bronzes your skin naturally -but without the sun. So you can protect yourself from the damaging (and dangerous) sun, but still get a nice bit of color.

You know how there are some things that you just can’t imagine living without? Maybe it’s an appliance, or your phone, or a favorite food? I was thinking about a few of these things today and I thought it would be fun to list some of my favorites – in no particular order. I would love to have you join in and provide your favorites – but since my blog gets way too much spam if I open it up for comments, I think I’m going to suggest that you add your favorites on Facebook (www.facebook.com/GardenGirlSkinCare). If you aren’t already a fan (or whatever they call it now) – please do click on the “like” button so you can be a part of the community.

Anyway -  here is my random mix of favorite things. Clearly it is not comprehensive or exhaustive, but it was fun to create!

• My family (I know that’s obvious but this list wouldn’t be complete without it)
• My friends (see above)
• Garden Girl products (of course!), my personal “must have’s”: You’re Fresh, Even Stephen, Break Free, Nature Nurture, Super Hero serum, Eye Can’t Believe It, Chill Out lotion, Alive body wash,  Simmer Down bath salts, Hand it to You hand cream and Zippity Do Dah peppermint foot cream
• My new VitaMix!
• Our SodaStream soda/seltzer machine
• White vinegar (for cleaning and laundry)
• My tumble composter from Costco (so easy!)
• My husband’s old (2003) Prius – such a great car
• My BlackBerry
• My laptop
• Facebook
• Mineral makeup
• Greek yogurt
• Chocolate
• Banana Bread
• Smoothies
• Gooey brownies
• Hot fudge
• Ice cream (Brigham’s Mocha Chip or Chocolate Chip are 2 all-time favorites)
• Broccoli (seriously)
• Spinach (again, seriously)
• Juicy tomatoes in the summer – especially with fresh mozzarella and basil! (and crusty bread)
• speaking of bread….CARBS (but I try to squeeze in whole grains whenever possible) – especially chewy, crusty bread and pasta
• A big salad with tons of stuff in there – especially if someone else did all the chopping
• Shortcut dinners like all natural frozen potstickers from Costco, Mama Rosie’s spinach ravioli, Bell & Evan’s chicken, Trader Joe’s mandarin orange chicken, Trader Joe’s frozen brown rice, quesadillas, omelettes
• My rice cooker
• My Kitchen Aid mixer
• My favorite cookbooks: America’s Test Kitchen Family Cookbook, Gourmet cookbook, and King Arthur Flour Cookie Book
• Cooking Light magazine
• Epicurious.com and other online recipe databases
• Food Network
• Any good workout I can find that’s 20 minutes or less and that I can do at home
• Our Weber Grill
• My latex mattress
• Central air conditioning (i know – VERY un-eco-friendly but we do keep it on the warm side)
• Caribbean Sol sunblock
• Caribbean Sol all natural self tanner (nice!)
• Trader Joe’s Powerberries (DO NOT BUY these if you are not already addicted – they are so yummy that they are pure evil…)
• Our pizza stone
• Pizza dough from Russo’s
• Actually – Russo’s in general, along with Trader Joe’s (can’t imagine life without it), Costco, and Whole Foods
• Reusable grocery bags (just seems like an obviously good idea, doesn’t it? and now I have finally gotten the hang of always having them in the car…)

I could do an entire list of my favorite food from Trader Joe’s – actually I think I have in the past? And I know I’ve done a “favorite finds at Costco” Facebook posting. Those are always fun!

Anyway – that’s my random list, for better or for worse. It makes me laugh that it is mostly food – apparently I have a one-track mind…

I’m looking forward to hearing what some of your favorites are!

Now that summer is officially here, I thought I’d post this for those of you who haven’t seen it – it’s EWG’s 2010 Sunscreen Guide. This is a great resource for helping you to select a sunscreen, including a list of their top picks. There is even a list of sunscreens that don’t use physical blockers (like titanium dioxide and zinc oxide) – but they make it clear that there are trade-offs to using those products, namely that “all non-mineral products contain at least one sunscreen chemical considered to be a potential hormone disruptor, and many offer only moderate or weak UVA protection.”

In addition to recommending sunscreens, EWG also has a very interesting perspective about the “surprising facts about sunscreen”. In this, they not only highlight the Vitamin A issue I mentioned in a previous post More Concerns About Sunscreen, but they also mention controversy about the impact of sunscreen:

“Some researchers have detected an increased risk of melanoma among sunscreen users. No one knows the cause, but scientists speculate that sunscreen users stay out in the sun longer and absorb more radiation overall, or that free radicals released as sunscreen chemicals break down in sunlight may play a role. One other hunch: Inferior sunscreens with poor UVA protection that have dominated the market for 30 years may have led to this surprising outcome. All major public health agencies still advise using sunscreens, but they also stress the importance of shade, clothing and timing.”

Now I am certainly not one to suggest that anyone SKIP sunscreen – we go through gallons of it here at our house – you have to believe that overall it’s better to use it than not use it. But it does make you think. And when it comes to choosing and using a sunscreen, you have to do what works for you and your family. If you just can’t deal with the white-factor of the zinc and titanium dioxide based products, then clearly you should choose one of the safer chemically-based sunblocks vs. not using any sunscreen or using it only intermittently. And you should always be mindful of being out in the sun too long – regardless of whether you have been diligent about sunscreen.

As I mentioned previously, my newest favorite is the Caribbean Sol sunscreen (pictured) – which is included on the EWG list. I also heard from a Garden Girl customer this week about another one that she loves, that’s on the list as well – “thinkbaby” and “thinksport”.  Check the list out and see what works best for you – and let me know if you find one that you love!

Ok – I don’t know about you, but I for one would really like it if we could just feel safe and good about using sunscreen. But it seems that every few months there’s something new to worry about. And now there’s the newest – there are concerns about retinyl palmitate (RP) – a common additive in sunscreens.

Retinyl palmitate is a type of Vitamin A that is used in many skin creams. (Note: it is not in any Garden Girl products). It is somewhat similar to Retinol but it is weaker.  And according to a report on Reuters this week:

“The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has been reviewing data from several studies on a potential link between retinyl palmitate (RP), a common sunscreen additive and cases of skin cancer, since July 2009, but has yet to issue any rulings or guidelines, Senator Charles Schumer said.”

The study they refer to found that “tumors and lesions developed up to 21 percent faster in lab animals coated in retinyl palmitate-laced cream than animals treated with a cream that did not contain RP.”

So again, could be hype. But sounds like something that even the FDA is taking note of and investigating. So my advice is try to avoid it. And yes, I find it frustrating and depressing.  Making it even worse is that my favorite of the “not so bad” sunscreens (Trader Joe’s Face & Body Sunscreen) has the dreaded Retinyl Palmitate. Sigh.

Now my best recommendation is the sunscreen I discovered via a suggestion from a Garden Girl customer – Caribbean Sol. Check it out. It’s natural, biodegradable, eco-safe and reef-friendly! There aren’t any parabens, and they use Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide. Still takes a little effort to get it rubbed in, but it’s better than Blue Lizard Baby. Plus the ingredients are MUCH better than the Blue Lizard products. And not only that, they do say it’s water resistant as well. You can but it online at www.caribbean-sol.com and it’s also sold in most Whole Foods markets. Let me know if you like it – I’m thinking of selling it next year!

Did you know that skin cancer accounts for more than 50% of all cancers combined? Or that one person dies every HOUR from skin cancer? These are just 2 of the 8 Shocking Facts About Skin Cancer from About.com.

According to information on The Skin Cancer Foundation website, a “recent poll by the research company GfK Roper showed that 58 percent of people are concerned today about skin cancer. Yet only 11 percent of people use an SPF 15 or higher daily.” Scary, isn’t it? This is a huge issue – especially with our obsession of looking tan. Tanning bed usage has sky rocketed – and thankfully now the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) General and Plastic Surgery Devices Panel has started to really take note. In March they met and agreed that tanning beds need to be more regulated. They are even considering banning the use of tanning beds by minors. And why shouldn’t they? Tanning beds in my mind are equivalent to cigarettes. It’s not a matter of IF they are doing damage, it’s a matter of WHEN the person will experience the damaging effects. As the FDA has stated – no tan is a safe tan.

How is it that we can learn that something is dangerous (sun damage), find solutions (sunscreen and sun avoidance), and then simultaneously develop this enormous tanning industry? What makes anyone thing those beds are a good idea? Sure, your skin may look tan – but there are safer ways to do that if you insist on a tanned look. Self tanners have improved tremendously so you can actually get a good, natural (and SAFE) tanned look easily and less expensively than at a tanning salon. Not to mention the fact that tanning has been proven to age skin. Have you taken a look at people who were sun-worshipers years ago? They are the ones that look 10 years older than they are.

So in this Skin Cancer Awareness Month, take a minute to remind yourself of the importance of sun avoidance and the use of sunscreen. I know – no one likes to glob the stuff on, but a few minutes of messiness is worth your skin’s health. And check out the Skin Cancer Foundation’s  Prevention Guide for more tips.

On a related note, I want to add that I hear from many customers who would like to see Garden Girl products include sunscreen. And I am in total agreement, believe me. No one wants our products to have an SPF rating more than I do! However, while the FDA regulations are fantastic for the health of your skin and for consumer safety, they make it nearly impossible for a company of our size to enter into the sunscreen market. So until we have our own products, we continue to recommend that you use a sunscreen every time you are out and about – whether it be at a soccer game or at the beach or out for a run. Garden Girl face creams can easily be layered with your favorite sunscreen so you benefit from the anti-aging properties of the face cream and the sun protection from the sunscreen. And if you choose your sunscreen carefully, it will not cause breakouts or clog pores.

EWG.org has posted this year’s review of sunscreens. There are quite a few interesting ones and the report is filled with interesting information. Turns out, they discovered in their research of more than 1,600 sunscreens that “3 of 5 brand-name sunscreens either don’t protect skin from sun damage or contain hazardous chemicals — or both.” Yipes!

Now I have to say, from their “top 10″ list, many of them are either incredibly expensive, very hard to find (often out of stock) or they are icky to use (the Badger brand is very very greasy/sticky). But that said – to each his own. If you are a stickler for a sunscreen that has a “0″ hazard rating, then check them out. But many of the others are just fine to use – and you can read all about them.

But best of all is this year, EWG created what I think is very smart, handy and practical – a handy guide that you can bring with you when you go to buy sunscreen. This way, you have a quick cheat sheet of the brands that you’ll find at CVS or Target or wherever – and which are the best choices within a brand (as some brands like Coppertone and Neutrogena have some of least safe/effective products but also have a couple of good ones). Plus it has a list of the ingredients to avoid!

Unfortunately, it doesn’t look as though they reviewed any of the Trader Joe’s products. I will say, however, that a personal review of the ingredients of their Face and Body SPF30 looked pretty good. Paraben-free, oxybenzone-free and it includes a mineral block. That said, I have no idea what the actual EWG safety rating would be.

So take a look at the EWG review site and print off the cheat sheet. And have a safe, and hopefully SUNNY summer.

(Northeast weather update – we are actually supposed to see the sun for multiple days in a ROW! Amazing!)

I’m very excited to say that I have found a decent (not perfect – but what is??) sunscreen for faces. It is paraben-free AND oxybenzone-free – which is incredibly hard to find. (read about oxybenzone here) Plus there is no “nano” zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. My family and I tried it this weekend and it worked very well, and it didn’t sting anyone’s eyes (bonus).

The active ingredients rate well on EWG for protection and decently for safety. As I’ve said before – the ultimate is a sunscreen with zinc oxide and titanium dioxide that is not “nano” – but unfortunately that type of suncreen is very thick and white and leaves your face white if you sweat or get wet. Not pretty. Blue Lizard Baby or Sensitive fits the bill so we use it for our bodies but I have been seeking an alternative for the face and it looks like I might have found it!

So if you have a Trader Joe’s nearby – check it out! And if not – again, my recommendation is to find a product that does NOT have oxybenzone. But lookout – it’s in almost everything!

This is just a quick post. I have had a lot of people ask me what I recommend for make-up and what I use for sunscreen.

First, I want to be clear that if there was any possibility of Garden Girl producing an SPF face product I’d do it in a flash. Unfortunately, it is prohibitively expensive for us to do it and here’s why – the FDA has to approve a specific formula because it would be considered an over-the-counter drug.

But believe me, I share in your frustration. I cannot find a face product that I feel good about using. There isn’t one that has ingredients that are even close to what I would want to use.

Which brings me to mineral make-up. I use mineral make-up everyday now because the minerals not only make your skin look flawless, but it has the added bonus of having sun-blocking minerals. So it’s a great safety net.

The make-up I have been happiest with is www.everydayminerals.com. They offer a great free trial kit (you pay only for shipping) and then their full-sized products are very reasonably priced. I love the powders, however some of the brushes haven’t been great and the lipstick seems to dry out my lips so I am still seeking a lipstick (lead-free, of course!) I definitely think they are worth taking a peek at!

So what do I use for sunprotection aside from mineral make-up? I have resorted to Blue Lizard either SENSITIVE skin or BABY (none of the others – as they contain nasty Oxybenzone). Baby and Sensitive are actually the same product – just different names. It does contain parabens which I usually avoid like the plague, but it only has Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide – and it doesn’t stink, it has no added fragrance, isn’t terribly sticky/gooey like some others, and generally does a great job. It was also on the list as one of the best when EWG reviewed sunscreens last summer. So until I find something better (and believe me, I’m looking for suggestions!) – this is what my family will be using all summer.

So check out Blue Lizard – it is available at CVS (and I’m guessing Walgreen’s as well). If enough people were interested, I would consider offering it on my website as well. Let me know!

Does anyone else find it incredibly frustrating that we can “do what we’re told” and trust that what we are being told is the right thing – then come to find out we’ve been steered wrong?

OK you’re probably wondering what the heck I’m talking about. But here’s where I’m coming from. We grew up wearing tanning oil – and maybe if it was REALLY sunny we’d wear Coppertone which had an SPF of maybe 4 or something. Then came the big scare. SKIN CANCER. We were damaging our skin permanently and seriously risking malignant melanomas. So we slathered on SPF 15, 30 and 45. Fair-skinned people like me never left the house without sunscreen.

Fast forward a decade or two. Now the newest discovery is that a key ingredient in most sunscreens – oxybenzone – can actually be causing more damage than the good it does. ARRRGGHHHH. The following is taken from EWG.org:

“A new study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reveals that 97% of Americans are contaminated with a widely-used sunscreen ingredient called oxybenzone that has been linked to allergies, hormone disruption, and cell damage. A companion study published just one day earlier revealed that this chemical is linked to low birth weight in baby girls whose mothers are exposed during pregnancy. “

Of course, the FDA says it is safe. But guess what? The last time they reviewed it was in 1970. Maybe it’s time for the FDA to ignore the Cosmetics Industry lobbyists and do the right thing to fully investigate this and other harmful toxins that have been deemed “safe.”

I am beginning my own review of natural sunscreens and once I choose one that I think is the best I will offer it at www.gardengirlskincare.com. I’ll keep you posted!